Kelli Gary Talley, Ph.D., MPH, OTR/L, CBIS is an assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling (RC) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in OT from Chicago State University in Chicago, IL, a Master of Science and Master of Public Health from Columbia University in New York, NY, and a Ph.D. from VCU all while having residual cognitive and emotional deficits from a traumatic brain injury. She has 29 years of clinical practice, 19 years of research, and 13 years of teaching experience at VCU. She is a member of the leadership team for Culture, Race, and Health Core in the VCU Institute on Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation. Dr. Talley has authored/co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and five book chapters primarily focused on racial and ethnic minorities and caregivers with TBI and other disabilities. She has written grants to fund the development of an after-school program in Petersburg, VA, to develop her research in TBI and health disparities, and to pay off student loans. She is a past member of the board of directors and the conference planning committee for the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV) and the national committee for Veterans with special disabilities that reports directly to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in Washington, DC. She has presented at numerous conferences and has been invited as a keynote speaker around the nation and internationally in Toronto, Canada, and Johannesburg, South Africa to present her research and her experience of living with a TBI and relying on education and training to become successful and productive.

Professional interests

• Racial and ethnic issues for individuals with disabilities
• Post-injury outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Intervention research
• Community engaged/community based participatory research
• Cognitive and perceptual OT intervention

Education

• 2003-2008: Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences with specialization in Occupational Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University.
• 2005-2008: Doctoral Research Fellow of Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) program in TBI rehabilitation research, National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Virginia Commonwealth University.
• 1997-2000: Master in Public Health (MPH) and Master of Science (M.S.) in Post-professional Occupational Therapy, Columbia University.
• 1991-1995: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in entry-level Occupational Therapy

Selected Publications

Referred

• Gary, K. W., Cao, Y., Burns, S. P., McDonald, S. D., & Krause, J. S. (in press). Employment, health outcomes, and life satisfaction after spinal cord injury: Comparison of Veterans and Non-Veterans. Spinal Cord
• Gary, K. W., Sima, A., & Wehman, P., Johnson, K. R. (2018). Transitioning racial/ethnic minorities with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Influence of socioeconomic status on related services. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 1-10. doi: 10.1177/2165143418778556
• Sander, A. M., Lequerica, A. H., Ketchum, J. M., Hammond, F. M., Gary, K. W., Pappadis, M. R…Bushnick, T. (2018). Race/ethnicity and retention in traumatic brain injury outcomes research: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model System National Database study. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 33, 219-227. DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000395
• Victor, C. M., Thacker, L. R., Gary, K. W., Pawluk, D. T. V., & Copolillo, A. (2017). Workplace discrimination and visual impairment: A comparison of equal employment opportunity commission charges and resolutions under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 111(5), 475-482. Available at https://www.afb.org/afbpress/newpubjvib.asp?DocID=jvib110509
• Ivey, C. K., Teitelman, J. L., Gary, K. W., Simons, D. F., Shepherd, J. T., & Copolillo, A. E. (2016). Achieving teaching, scholarship, and service through community engagement. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 4(3), Article 11. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.1267
• Lu, J., Gary, K. W., Copolillo, A., Neimeier, J. P., Ward, J., Lapane, K. L. (2015). Randomized controlled trials in adult traumatic brain injury: A review of compliance to CONSORT statement. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96, 702-14.
• Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Ketchum, J. M., Hurley, J., Getachew, A. M., & Gary, K. W. (2014). Allegation of ethnic minority from 1993-2008: An equal employment opportunity commission (EEOC) study. Work, 47, 267-279.
• Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Ketchum, J. M., Hurley, J., Getachew, A. M., & Gary, K. W. (2014). Allegation of ethnic minorities from 1993--2008: An equal employment opportunity commission (EEOC) study. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, 47(2), 267-279.
• Lu, J., Gary, K. W., Neimeier, J. P., Ward, J., & Lapane, K. L. (2012). Randomized controlled trials in adult traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 26(13-14), 1523-1548.
• Cole, P. L., & Gary, K. W.  (2012). Tailoring work-life interventions for culturally diverse caregivers of traumatic brain injury. Home Health Care Services Quarterly, 31, 130-154. DOI: 10.1080/01621424.2012.681545
• Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Ketchum, J. M., Lewis, A., Krch, D., Gary, K. W., & Dodd B. A. (2011). Racial and ethnic disparities in employment outcomes for individuals with traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal investigation one through five years post-injury. PM&R Journal: The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation, 3(12), 1083-1091.
• Niemeier, J. P., Kreutzer J. S., Marwitz, J. H., Gary, K. W., & Ketchum J. M. (2011). Efficacy of a brief acute neurobehavioral intervention following traumatic brain injury: A preliminary investigation. Brain Injury, 25, 680-690.
• Gary, K. W., Nicholls, E., Shamburger, A., Stevens, L. F., & Arango-Lasprilla, J. C. (2011). Do Racial and ethnic minority patients fare worse after SCI: A critical review of the literature. NeuroRehabilitation, 29(3), 275-293. DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0704.
• Gary, K. W., Ketchum, J. M., Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Kreutzer, J. S., Novak, T, Copolillo, A., & Deng, X. (2010). Difference in employment outcomes 10 years after traumatic brain injury among racial and ethnic minority groups. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 33(1), 65-75.
• Livingston, L. A., Kennedy, R.E., Marwitz, J.H., Arango-Lasprilla, J.C., Rapport, L. J., Bushnik, T., & Gary, K. W. (2010). Predictors of family caregivers´ life satisfaction after traumatic brain injury at one and two years post-injury: A longitudinal multi-center investigation. NeuroRehabilitation, 27,73-81.
• Gary, K. W., Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., & Stevens, L. F. (2009). Do racial/ethnic differences exist in post-injury outcomes after TBI?: A comprehensive review of the literature. Brain Injury, 23(10),775-789.
• Gary, K. W., Arango-Lasprilla, J. C., Ketchum, J.M., Kreutzer, J. S., Copolillo, A., Novak, T., & Jha, A. (2009). Racial difference in employment outcomes at 1, 2, and 5 years post-injury. Archives of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, 90, 1699-1707.

Book Chapters

• Belgrave, F. E., Gary, K. W., & Robinson, K. T. (2019). Race, ethnicity, and disability. In D. Dunn (Ed.) Disability: Social psychological perspectives. New York, NY: Oxford University Press
• Wilson, K. B., Gines, J. E., Gary, K. W., & Brown, S. M. (2014). Diversity and multiculturalism among personnel: Hiring, staffing, and supervising an emerging workforce.  In C. Flowers, J. Soldner, & S. Robertson, S. (Eds.) Clinical supervision & administrative practices in allied health professions. Linn Creek, MO: Aspen Professional Services
• Gary, K. W., & Wilson, K. B.  (2012). Traumatic brain injury: Short, long, and very long-term vocational outcomes.  In A. Agrawal (Ed.) Brain injury: Functional aspects, rehabilitation and prevention.  Rejeka, Croatia: InTech. DOI: 10.5772/2442.

Monographs

• Graham, C. W., Gary, K. W., West, S. L., Sima, A. P., Temple, P. E., & Arango-Laprilla, J. C. (2013). Faculty research capacity in rehabilitation oriented disciplines. In P. Wehman, K.W. Gary, & J. L. Bourdon (Eds.). Race, ethnicity, and disability research: Modern advancements and future endeavors in the field (pp. 119-128). Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University.
• Gary, K. W., Graham, C. W., West, S. L., Sima, A. P., Temple, P. E., Bourdon, J. L.,  & Arango-Laprilla, J. C. (2013). Vocational rehabilitation professional accessibility to multicultural research. In P. Wehman, K.W. Gary, & J. L. Bourdon (Eds.), Race, ethnicity, and disability research: Modern advancements and future endeavors in the field (pp. 53-61). Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University. 
• Cole, P. L., & Gary, K. W. (2013). Establishing the need for work-life interventions among culturally diverse caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury. In P. Wehman & K.W. Gary, J. L. Bourdon (Eds.), Race, ethnicity, and disability research: Modern advancements and future endeavors in the field (pp. 87-100). Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University.
• Gary, K. W. (2013). Descriptive qualitative analysis of minorities with traumatic brain injury reintegrating in communities with different levels of socioeconomic status. In P. Wehman & K.W. Gary, J. L. Bourdon (Eds.), Race, ethnicity, and disability research: Modern advancements and future endeavors in the field (pp. 29-40). Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University.

Selected Grant Activity (Current/Completed)

• Project Title: Developing a Culturally Family Intervention after Brain Injury (CFIaBI) for African Americans; Amount of Award: $70,000; Agency: (HHS) NIDILRR; Role: PI; Dates of Award: 10/16-10/17, 10/17-01/20 (No cost-extension)
• Project Title: VCU Global Impact Award for Community Engaged Research and Global Health at University KwaZulu-Natale in Durban, South Africa; Award Amount: $10,000; Agency: VCU Global Education Office/Division of Community Engagement; Role: Principal Investigator; Awarded: 2/28/2014.      
• Project Title: VSU-VCU Partnership to Promote Literacy for Impoverished, Linguistically Challenged Youth in Virginia; Award Amount: $19, 683; Agency: VCU, Council of Community Engagement; Role: Principal Investigator; Dates of Award: 2013-2014.
• Project Title: VCU TBI Model System of Care; Salary Support: $12,000 x 5 years; Agency: National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR); Role: Dissemination Coordinator (Kreutzer, PI); Dates of Award: 2013-2021
• Award Title: Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research; Award Amount: $104,820; Agency: National Institute of Health, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities Role: Selected Recipient through Competitive Application; Dates of Award: 2010-2014.
• Project Title: Project Empowerment: Improving Minority Research Capacity Award Amount: $1,782,682 (5 years); Agency: National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR); Roles: Post-doctoral Research Fellow/Research Coordinator (2009-11); Co-Principal Investigator (2012-13; Lewis/Arango/Wehman, PI); Dates of Award: 2008-2013.

Research Lab

• Health Disparities and Traumatic Brain Injury Research